The concept of the moment for online companies is buzz marketing. Specifically, the idea of mentioning some new and cool thing that is coming in the future. Microsoft just did it with the Origami project, one of very few times the company has tried.
Google, the self-contained Internet Bubble company, seems to be the master of this approach with the award winner being the launch of Gmail. If the two previous companies have done well with buzz marketing, a company that clearly can’t is Yahoo. Even when they have something to create a buzz about they seem to find a way to make it – well very Yahoo like.
See, I used to be a fan of Yahoo. Many of us were fans back in the day. Yahoo Mail, briefcase, My Yahoo, etc, etc were killer apps but then they sold out. Actually, they sold my name to a billion spammers in a policy shift toward making money; decided to become a media company; decide to take a mixed up strategy focusing on content – but not really – and decided to leave all their offerings stagnant for about 5 years.
To me, Yahoo has become the General Motors of the Internet world. Too big to collapse but so lacking of a forward vision that they could be considered part of the ‘walking dead.’
Hmm, don’t rant too much now-a-days but damn that felt good.
So, anyway, regaining my composure – Yahoo finally develops a new innovative product in their Yahoo Mail Beta programme but do they execute their publicity campaign correctly? Of course not.
They go live last week with a public beta but still haven’t turned it on in England. They finally put a link to try the beta on my homepage but it is just to sign up to be part of the beta! Of course, I did this about a month ago when the riffs starting coming out. Now, they are wasting my time.
So now my anticipation has turned to irritation at a company that was so cool. So innovative. So much the epitome of the mid and late 1990s but now they are just … so, so. A mediocre company producing mediocre things en mass. Google be aware!
Gee, I wonder if I get the internship with them I can create walkingdead.yahoo.com with webcams pointed to their executive board room?
